Lasting machine



p 1945- EA. HOLMGREN 2,385,414

LASTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14, 1944 2 She'ts- -Sheet 1 In ven for Eric A. h olm ren p 1 E. A. HOLMGREN 2,385,414

I ILASTING MACHINE Filed 001;. 14, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [nven for Eric AJ Y OZm r'en Patented Sept. 25, 1945 LASTIN G MACHINE Eric A. Holmgren, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application October 14, 1944, Serial No. 558,781

18 Claims.

This invention relates to lasting machines, and more particularly to means for positioning and controlling shoes in such machines during the lasting operation. The invention is herein illustrated as applied to a power-operated toeend lasting machine which, except as hereinafter noted, is constructed generally as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,160,846, granted on June 6, 1939 on an application of F. C. Eastmans and. A. F. Pyms. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not thus limited in its applicability.

The machine shown in the above-mentioned Letters Patent is provided with wipers which, after wiping the toe-end portion of an upper heightwise of a last positioned bottom upward, are advanced and closed lengthwise and widthwise of the last to wipe the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole in operating on a shoe of the welt type. The last and the shoe materials thereon, hereinafter sometimes referred to inclusively as the shoe, are positioned in proper relation to the wipers by a plate curved to engage the inner face of the lip of the insole about the end and along the sides of the toe and having a downwardly extending flange which also engages the bottom face of the insole adjacent to the lip. By such engagement with the insole the plate, which also serves to support the lip of the insole against the inward pressure of the wipers and to press the insole near its edge on the bottom of the last, determines in all respects the position of the shoe. That is, by its engagement with the lip of the insole it positions the shoe bodily lengthwise and laterally and with respect to lateral swinging movement, and by engagement with the bottom of the insole adjacent to the lip it positions the shoe bodily heightwise and also with respect to longitudinal or lateral tipping movement. To render the plate accurate in the lastmentioned respect, thelower edge of its downwardly extending flange is curved to conform substantially to such curvature as there may be on the bottom of the toe end of the last. For satisfactory results it is necessary to provide differently formed shoe-positioning plates not only for right and left shoes respectively, but also for shoes differing substantially in size, the term size being used herein generically as applicable to width as well as length. Three or four pairs of right and left plates may thus be required for the usual range of sizes of a class of shoes, such as mens or womens shoes, of a given style. Different sets of plates also are required for shoes differing substantially in style.

An object of the present invention, among others, is to provide means involving less expense than the above-described construction for properly positioning shoes and controlling their insoles. It has been found that shoes of various styles and sizes maybe satisfactorily positioned heightwise, both bodily and with respect to tipping movements, relatively to the wipers of a toelasting machine by a device having virtually a three-point bearing on the bottom faces of the foreparts of their insoles. For purposes of the present invention the construction herein shown includes such a device in combination with another device which by engagement with the inner face of the lip of the insole of a welt shoe positions the shoe lengthwise and laterally and supports the lip against the inward-pressure of the wipers. More particularly, as herein illustrated, the first-mentioned device comprises three insole-engaging pins extending heightwise of the shoe with their end faces in positions to engage the insole, and the other device comprises a plate having openings to receive the pins so that the plate is positioned by the pins lengthwise and laterally of the shoe. The plate is, however, mounted loosely enough on the pins to permit it readily to move bodily in directions heightwise of the shoe and also to tip relatively to the pins, so that it will adjust itself to the shoe. Associated with the plate are springs which urge it toward the insole and hold it seated at all times against the bottom face of the insole adjacent to the lip, even though the toe end of the shoe receives some heightwise movement in the lasting operation by reason of the pressure of the wipers thereon. This contributes to the effectiveness of the platein properly supporting the lip, which is important for the best results in the lasting operation, and also renders the plate properly effective initially as a holddown for the marginal portion of the insole. It will be evident that the plate, in order properly to perform its functions, must be so shaped as to conform substantially or nearly to the contour of the lip of th insole, and accordingly different plates are needed when the shoes to be lasted differ materially in size or style. The construction shown is, however, such that a substantial saving is involved as compared with the expense of the equipment provided heretofore. Since the plate has nothing to do with the positioning of the shoe heightwise, it need not be subjected to a comparatively expensive grinding operation to conform it to the curvature of the bottom of the shoe or last. It is, moreover, so shaped and supported that by being inverted it may be used on both right and left shoes. p

The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the acclompanying drawings and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a View in right-hand side elevation of mechanism provided for purposes of the present invention, as applied to a machine constructed generally as disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent;

Fig. 2 shows the mechanism mainly in front elevation and in its relationto a shoe shown in section;

Fig. 3 2,,showing also the toe Wipers and parts associated therewith;

i ismainly a plan view showing the insole engaging plate in its relation to the shoe;

-Fig. 5 is a section on the line.V-V of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the plate detached.

As disclosed in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, the machine to which the invention is herein shown as appliedisprovided with a pair of toe-embraeing wipers 2 which are moved upwardly to wipe the toe-end portion of an upper heightwise of a last positioned bottom upward and are thereafter advanced and closed length- .wise and widthwise of the last to wipe the marginalportion of the upper about the toe inwardly over the feather and against the lip a of a welt shoe insole on the last. Instead of the grippers shown-in the above-mentioned Letters Patent forv gripping and pulling the upper, there is herein shown a retarder t which clamps the margin of the upper outspread on thewipers and cooperates with them to apply a pull thereto whilecontrolling it in the course of the lasting operation, this retarder being constructed and operated as disclosed in Letters Patent No. 2,380,407, granted on July 31, 1945 on an application of P. E. Burbys, In Fig. 3 the retarder is shown as it starts to release the margin of the upper just after the wipers have begun their movements to wipe the upper inwardly over the insole.

The means above referred to as provided heretofore in the illustrative machine for positioning the shoe in proper relation to the wipers has been mounted on a vertically adjustable rod corresponding to the rod 6 herein shown. For purposes of this invention there is supported on an enlarged head 8 on the lower end of the ,rod 6 a block ll having fast thereon three depending pins 12 the lower end faces of which are ar ranged to engage the bottom face of the forepart ofthe insole inlocations farther inwardly than the lip a, one of the pins engaging it near the end of. the toe and the others farther from the end of the toe in locations spaced apart widthwise of the shoe. The pins thus have virtually a three-point bearing on the insole and position the shoe bodily heightwise and with respect to lengthwise or lateral tipping movement. Thelower end faces of the pins may, asis hown, be somewhat inclined to correspond approximately to the usual convex curvature ofzthefbottom of the last. The block l0 has on is a section on the line IIIIII of Fig.

with the knob 24.

its opposite sides curved flanges M supported on similarly curved inwardly extending flanges it formed on plates 28 secured to the sides of the head 8. The block with its pins I2 is thus guided for adjustment about an axis extending widthwise of the shoe to position the pins properly in accordance with variations in the lengthwise curvatures of the bottoms of the foreparts of shoes of different styles. To effect this adjustment there is slidingly mounted in the head .8 of the rod 6 a rack bar 2!] in engagement with teeth formed on the block if]. Threaded in this rack bar is a rod 22 having on its front end a knob 24 for turning it. The rod is held against lengthwise movement by a flange 26 on the head 8 in engagement with a flange 28 on the rod and To insure that the block ID will be held in any position to which it is adjusted by the rack bar 20, there is mounted in the head a pin 30 pressed forwardly by a spring 32 and having a conical end arranged to enter any one of a plurality of correspondingly formed recesses 34 in a flange 36 on the knob 2 A pointer 3! on the block serves by reference to marks on one of the plates [8 to indicate the position of the block and to guide the operator in raising or lowering the pin 12 near the end of the toe. The toe end of the shoe is clamped against the lower ends of the pins I2 by a toe rest 38 which is moved upwardly into clamping position substantially at the beginning of the cycle of operations of the machine.

To position the shoe lengthwise and laterally,

to support the lip of the insole against the in- .ward pressure of the wipers and to hold the marginal portion of the insole down on the bottom of the last there is provided what may be termed a plate at shapedto conform substantially to thelengthwise contour of the inner face of the lip around the end and along the sides of the toe and invertible for useon right and left shoes. This plate includes a web 42 and a rim 44 extending in opposite directions from the web for engagement with the lips of the insoles of right and left shoes in accordance with the position of the plate. Each edge of the rim is arranged to engage an insole at the base of the lip and may, as shown, lie in a plane. The plate may be made inexpensively by first forming the web of the required contour .and thereafter brazing to its curved edge portion, as indicated at 56 (Fig. 6), a strip of sheet stock to serve as the rim. In the web are bored, in the proper locations, three holes 48 to receive the pins 12 and to permit the plate to be mounted on the pins. Accordingly the pins determine the position of the plate lengthwise and laterally. The plate is, however, loose enoughi'on the pins to permit it to tip and to move bodily in directions heightwise of the shoe in such manner as to adjust itself to the shoe. In engagement with the top of the web 62 are three pins 58 which are mounted-in the block H3 and are pressed downwardly by springs 52 mounted in hollow enlarged portions of the pins. These enlarged portions serve by engagement with the block to prevent the pins from falling when there is no plate 30 in the machine. The spring-pressed pins urge the plate downwardly and insure that the lower edge of its rim 44 will engage the bottom face of the insole adjacent to the lip at all times when there is a shoe inthe machine. Where there is no shoe in the machine the plate is prevented from falling by a latch member 54 extending downwardly through an opening 56 in the Web 52. This latch member extends upwardly into a cylindrical bore 58 in the block l and has near its upper end an annular enlargement 60 with an upwardly and downwardly convex outer face engaging the wall of the bore 58 to guide the member for forward and rearward swinging movements. The latch member is supported on the inner forked end of a slide 62, which is movable in forward and rearward directions in the block IE3, by a pin 64 fast in the member and lying in vertical slots 68 in the forks of the slide. It is held down in the position thus determined by a spring 68 which is mounted within it and presses upwardly against a pin Ill engaging the block it at the upper end of the bore 58. A spring '52 tends to move the slide 62 in a rearward direction and thereby holds the latch member normally in operative position, the spring being confined at one end by a plate 14 fast on the block ill. When it is desired to remove the plate 4!] in order to invert it or to substitute a different plate, the operator swings the latch member forwardly into position to clear the plate by forward movement of the slide 62. For this purpose a stem 15 extending forwardly from the slide has fast on its front end a knob 18.

When there is no shoe in the machine the plate 49 is held by the springs 52 in the position determined by the latch member 54 with the lower edge of its rim M at a lower level than the lower ends of the pins H, as illustrated in Fig. 1. In presenting a shoe to the machine the operator moves it to a position such that the lower portion of the rim of the plate engages the inner face of the lip around the toe end of the insole. As previously suggested, satisfactory results do not require exact conformity of the plate to the contour oilthe lip, and accordingly the same plate may be used for shoes of different sizes. Ordinarily three or four plates will be sufficient for the usual range of sizes of a class -)f shoes, as mens or womens shoes, of a given style. Having presented the shoe as above described, the operator starts the machine. As the toe rest 38 moves upwardly it engages the shoe and raises it, together with the plate Ml, until the insole is engaged by the three pins i2 which position the shoe at the proper height both bodily and angularly. It will be understood that the plate adjusts itself to the position of the shoe thus determined by the pins while further determining its position lengthwise and laterally. The shoe having thus been properly positioned, the toe-lasting operation is performed in the manner characteristic of the illustrative machine. As the wipers 2 wipe the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over the insole, the plate 43 serves first to hold the marginal portion of the insole down on the bottom of the last and thereafterto support the lip of the insole against the inward pressure of the wipers. This prevents the lip from being forced inwardly and renders the wipers effective to form a welldefined angle in the marginal portion of the upper to receive the welt. As disclosed in Letters Patent No. 2,224,146, granted on December 10, 1940 on an application of F. C. Eastmans, the machine to which the invention is herein shown as applied may have means for controlling the toe rest 38 in such manner that as the wipers wipe the upper inwardly over the insole the shoe may yield in a downward direction in response to pressure of the wipers thereon. In that event the springs 52 cause the plate 42 to move with the shoe, so that the plate remains in proper supporting relation to the lip of the insole. At any time when it is necessary to invert the plate in changing from a right to a left shoe or vice versa, or to substitute a different plate in order to last a shoe substantially different as to size or style, all that is necessary in order to release the plate is to move the -latch 54 forwardly by means of the knob l8.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, of means for positioning the shoe heightwise relatively to said lasting means by engagment with the bottom face of the forepart of the insole, and additional means for positioning the shoe lengthwise and laterally by engagement with the inner face of the lip of the insole at the end and the sides of the toe, said additional means bein mounted to move in directions heightwise of the shoe relatively to said first-named positioning means.

2. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, of a device for positioning the shoe heightwise relatively to said lasting means by engagement with the bottom face of the forepart of the insole, and another device for positioning the shoe lengthwise and laterally by engagement with the inner face of the lip of the insole, said other device being mounted to move in directions heightwise of the shoe relatively to said firstnamed device to permit it to adjust itself tov the shoe.

3. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, of a device for positioning the shoe heighi wise relatively to said lasting means by engagment with the bottom face of the forepart of the insole, and another device for positioning the shoe lengthwise and laterally by engagement with the inner face of the lip of the insole at the end and the sides of the toe, said other device being mounted to move both bodily and angularly in directions heightwise of the shoe relatively to said first-named device to permit it to adjust itself to the shoe.

4. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, of a device for positioning the shoe heightwise relatively to said lasting means by engagement with the bottom face of the forepart of the insole, and another device for positioning the shoe lengthwise and laterally by engagement with the inner face of the lip of the insole at the end and the sides of the toe, said other device being removable while said first-named device remains in the machine.

5. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, of a device for positioning the shoe heightwise relatively to said lasting means by engagement with the bottom face of the forepart of the insole, and another device for positioning the shoe lengthwise and laterally by engagement with the inner face of the lip of the insole, said other device being mounted to move in directions heightwise of the shoe relatively to said first-named device to permit it to adjust itself to the shoe and both said devices being adjustable as a unit about an axis extending widthwise of the shoe.

6. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, of a device for positioning the shoe heightwise relatively to said lastin means by engagement with the bottom face of the forepart of the insole, and another device for positioning the shoe lengthwise. and laterally by engagement with the inner face of the lip of the insole, said other device being arranged to engage the insole when the shoe is first presented to the machine and being movable by the shoe relatively to said first-named device until the latter also engages the insole.

'7. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, of a device for positioning the shoe helghtwise relatively to said lasting means by engagement with the bottom face of the forepart of the insole, another device arranged to engage the inner face of the lip of the insole around the toe to position the shoe lengthwise and lat erally and to support the lip against the inward pressure of the lasting means, said other device being mounted to move in directions heightwise a of the shoe relatively to said first-named device, and spring means for moving said other device with the shoe if the shoe is moved heightwise relatively to said first-named device by pressure of the lasting means thereon.

8. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and againsta lip on the insole, of a device for positioning the shoe heightwise relatively to said lasting means by engage-- ment with the bottom face of the forepart of the insole, another device arranged to engage the inner face of the lip of the insole around the toe to position the shoe lengthwise and laterally and to support the lip against the inward pressure of the lasting means, said other device being mounted to move both bodily and angularly in directions heightwise of the shoe relatively to said first-named device to permit it to adjust itself to the shoe, and spring means for pressing said other device on the shoe heightwise thereof.

9. In a lasting machine, the ombination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, of a device having a plurality of members arranged to extend heightwise of the shoe for en gaging the bottom face of the forepart of the insole in different locations respectively to position the shoe heightwise relatively to said lasting means, and another device arranged to engage the inner face of the lip of the insole around the toe to position the shoe lengthwise and laterally and to support the lip against the inward pressure of the lasting means, said other device having openings through which said members extend and being mounted to move in directions heightwise of the shoe relatively to said members i to permit it to adjust itself to the shoe.

10. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, of a plurality of pins arranged to extend heightwise of the shoe for engaging the bottom face of the forepart of the insole in different locations respectively to position the shoe heightwise relatively to said lasting means, and a plate arranged to engage the inner face of the lip of the insole around the toe to position the shoe lengthwise and laterally and to support the lip against the inward pressure of the lasting means, said plate having openings through which said pins extend and being mounted to move both bodily and angularly in directions heightwise of the shoe relatively to the pins to permit it to adjust itself to the shoe 11. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, of a plurality of pins arranged to extend heightwise of the shoe for engaging the bottom a face of the forepart of the insole in diiferent locations respectively to position the shoe heightwise relatively to said lasting means, a plate arranged to engage the inner face of the lip of the insole around the toe to position the shoe lengthwise and laterally and to support the lip against the inward pressure of the lasting means, said plate having openings through which said pins extend and being mounted to move in directions heightwise f the shoe relatively to the pins to permit it to adjust itself to the shoe, and a plurality of springs arranged to act on said plate respectively in different locations to press it on the shoe heightwise thereof.

12. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, of a device for positioning the shoe heightwise relatively to said lasting means by engagement with the bottom face of the forepart of the insole, and another device arranged to engage the inner face of the lip of the insole around the toe to position the shoe lengthwise and laterally and to support the lip against the inward pressure of the lasting means, said other device being invertible relatively to said first-named device for use on right and left shoes.

13. Ina lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, of a device having a plurality of members arranged to extend heightwise of the shoe for engaging the bottom face of the forepart of the insole in different locations respectively to position the shoe heightwise relatively to said lasting means,and another device arranged to engage the innerfaceof the lip of the insole around the toe to position the shoe lengthwise and laterally and to support the lip against the inward pressure of the lasting means, said other device having openings through which said members extend and being invertible relatively to said members for use on right and left shoes.

i l. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an up per about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, of a plurality of pins arranged to extend heightwise of the shoe for engaging the bottom face of the forepart of the insole in different locations respectively to position the shoe heightwise relatively to said lasting means, and a plate having a web provided with openings to receive said pins and having a rim arranged to engage the inner face of the lip of the insole around the toe to position the shoe lengthwise and laterally and to support the lip against the inward pressure of the lasting means, said rim extending in opposite directions from said web for engaging the insoles of right and left shoes and the plate being invertible relatively to said pins for use on the right and left shoes.

15. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, of a device having a plurality of shoepositioning members arranged to extend heightwise of the shoe for engagement with the bottom face of the forepart of the insole in different locations respectively, and another device positioned lengthwise and laterally of the shoe by said members and arranged to engage the inner face of the lip of the insole around the toe to support the lip against the inward pressure of the lasting means, said other device having openings through which said members extend thus to position it and being mounted to move in directions heightwise of the shoe relatively to said members to permit it to adjust itself to the shoe.

16. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last and against a lip on the insole, of a device having a plurality of shoepositioning members arranged to extend heightwise of the shoe for engagement with the bottom face of the forepart of the insole in different locations respectively, and another device positioned lengthwise and laterally of the shoe by said members and arranged to engage the inner face of the lip of the insole around the toe to support the lip against the inward pressure of the lasting means, said other device having openings through which said members extend thus to position it and being invertible relatively to said members for use on right and left shoes.

17. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last, of a device having a plurality of shoe-positioning members arranged to extend heightwise of the shoe for engagement with the bottom face of the forepart of the insole in different locations respectively, another device positioned lengthwise and laterally of the shoe by said members and arranged to engage the insole around the end and along the sides of the toe nearer the edge of the insole than said members to press it on the bottom of the last, said other device having openings through which said members extend thus to position it and being mounted to move in directions heightwise of the shoe relatively to said members to permit it to adjust itself to the shoe, and spring means for pressing said other device on the insole.

, 18. In a lasting machine, the combination with means for lasting the marginal portion of an upper about the toe end of a last inwardly over an insole on the last, of a devic having a plurality of shoe-positioning members arranged to extend heightwise of the shoe for engagement with the bottom face of the forepart of the insole in different locations respectively, and another device positioned lengthwise and laterally of the shoe by said members and arranged to engage the insole around the end and along the sides of the toe nearer the edge of the insole than said members to press it on the bottom of the last, said other device having openings through which said members extend thus to position it and being invertible relatively to said members for use on right and left shoes.

ERIC A. HOLMGREN. 

